Maybe this what had to happen to flush the focus on/obsession with Boston down the drain. They can't walk into next year talking about getting that 16th win after getting the boot on Round 1. I was consistently troubled with this focus on Boston, as if the 3 rounds to get to a potential rematch were child's play and/or that they had to prove they weren't the team that had the Final collapse. After the win in Jan in Boston I hoped they'd then focus in and put that to bed, but from the start of game 1 against LA it looked they were trying to replay game 7 of the Final not play that actual Game 1 in front of them. Too much fighting the last war.

Hopefully they win game 4 just so they don't have the added humilitation of actually getting swept, and it would make game 5 fun. Otherwise, one has to be realistic about the end game here.

I am atheist and a Canucks's fan, so there's not much basis for me to believe in miracles...

Meds wrote:Hansen has ZERO finish (I know, I know, it's cuz he's a Dane). He plays his heart out, but when he's the guy blowing the only chance we really get in a game, you gotta replace him with someone who can finish or demote him to the 4th line. Raymond can finish better, but brings "it" about 10% of the time.....sure he's been really good the last 2 games, but I'm not going to advocate paying $2.5M for a guy that floats through the regular season and is going to do nothing but elevate his play to find no results in the the playoffs.

You are absolutely wrong regarding Hansen. He has been the most consistent forward in the whole series so far. Do you remember he had two goal posts in game two and three? If he had a bit luck, it would be a completely different story. On the other hand, Raymond has been completely invisible and useless. He should have gone this season if not for his injury.

Meds wrote:Pahlsson is gone. Malhotra should go too.

I like Pahlsson. He, at least, has some fire. Did you see him hitting Williams after the hit on Henrik? I agree Malhotra has to go. He is not providing anything. The Canucks need more assholes, not more gentlemen or pests.

Meds wrote:Get Kassian in shape and give him 12 minutes a game on the 3rd/4th line and in the goalie's face on the PP. Also send him over the boards immediately following incidents like the on tonight where Brown ran Henrik.

AV would not let loose of Kassian, end of story.

Meds wrote:Edler should go. He's had such a great upward curve on the graphs but I think he stalled this year and I doubt he'll recover to the point we need him to. Either deal him or re-sign him as a number 5 guy at a price that correlates to that spot.

The defense needs to get tougher. Too many nice guys who won't punish anyone going to the net.

Meds wrote:Leave the Amex line alone and get a coach who will have them playing straight up and down, north-south, hockey where one guy carries the puck and two guys crash the net from either side. They will score 70 goals as a line doing that.

Yes, 100% agree.

Meds wrote:Go back to a scoring 3rd line, but one that can play both ends of the rink rather than just the shutdown hockey that RD has come to love.

The shutdown hockey works when your top two lines can score goals. The only problem is that the Canucks can't score goals.

Meds wrote:Above all get a new coach, one that can see the forest for the trees and isn't too stubborn or too obtuse to change something up other than the line combinations.

Damn, that was tough loss to swallow. Hard to imagine the Canucks playing a more dominant game in all three zones. The only thing you could ask for is more willingness to go to the dirty areas, but to me the Canucks looked desperate last night and still couldn't buy a break.

The Canucks have been the better team 5 on 5 for two games now, and were the better team in all facets in game 3. If it weren't for a lucky break on LA's part, the Canucks could have won game 1 as well. This has definitely been frustrating to watch.

Our dismal power play is killing us right now. Two or three power play goals for the Canucks in this series (and *cough* one or two less SHG against) and this would be a much different series.

The fat lady is warming up. I hope that bitch stays backstage for four more games!